New York, NY — On Monday, May 6th, Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth (SGHY), founded by former Councilmember Alan Gerson to honor his mother as a life-long physical educator and community activist, held its annual gala which honored CSA President Mark Cannizzaro, C. Virginia Fields, Lois Lee, Ken Paskar, Dirk McCall, Peter Yarrow and Jerry Goldman for their work with youth. Sophie Gerson, originally from Romania, pioneered increased physical education, equality for girls in athletics, expanded school based health services, anti-smoking efforts, anti-drug abuse efforts and the City’s first Family Living (sex education) curriculum. The organization supports tennis programs, dance programs and science programs with Columbia University and the Planetarium. Last year 200 Middle School students were sent to summer camp from MS 302 the Bronx and MS 126 Manhattan and raised enough funds to do the same this year. Supporting Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth are: UFT, CSA, DC 37 Local 372, 1707, Local 100 of TWU, The Milch Family Foundation, The Landsman Family Foundation, Henry Buhl, Chinese American Planning Council, Con Edison, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs. To donate visit their website at www.sophiegersonhealthyyouth.org.
